.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and range of Utmost Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as a multimedia sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his indigenous South Florida for the greatest video game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was effectively on his method to ending up being the greatest profit expert in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually presently gotten first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Bowl respects by the opportunity the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and league-high 47 puntings along with three resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He also returned 2 firsts for goals and also racked up after coming back a missed field goal 108 gardens versus the New York Giants.The Colts possessed lots of movie to analyze as they planned for Chicago's a lot of harmful weapon. They had observed Hester manage a punt back 83 lawns for the permission goal to cap off a 20-point comeback get the Cardinals. They experienced him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same game to scratch first yield goals of 94 and 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin throw inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as selected to acquire, the Colts delivered the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 few seconds to sprint where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal line, 92 lawns away, all while enjoying themself on the videoboard as he videotaped the only TD yield of a position kickoff in Super Dish history.The setback coming from an ultimate 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little to vanish the play that accentuates Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence is going to be preserved in Canton this weekend break as the 1st player selected to the Pro Soccer Venue of Popularity initially as a zing returner a player that sparked some of the most iconic seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Dish along with a residence telephone call One of the greatest zing returners ever before transforms 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had assembled a tactical plan for Hester that hinged on him not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive crews units were the absolute most eruptive in the league, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff protection and also 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is exactly how that strategy ultimately accepted one of the best fantastic plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't an unsafe offensive team. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But coverage, come back, they had the most ideal unique teams unit in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the most ideal returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our company were actually booting to the corners, our experts are actually jumping the ball, our company're squibbing it, our team are actually punting high, or we're punting out of bounds. Our experts stated, 'He is actually not heading to be an aspect. Our experts presume our experts can handle their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his returns for touchdowns were puntings, not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts as well as 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the strategic plan was actually don't punt the round to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 yards, forty five gardens, away from bounds. Sacrifice some span however carry out not allow him receive the ball in his hands." Our experts thought about it the various other way as well as really did not would like to lose a lots of yardage on first things, thus considering that our team've acquired a number of our beginners in there, let's make an effort to affix him behind-the-scenes and see if our company can easily overload that side and try to minimize his return. Our team practiced that all week long. It wasn't also like our team were actually stressed to boot a touchback. Our experts were additional anxious concerning striking it over in the corner, and if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard line however it's really near the side project, after that our company might make an effort to box him in a little." Reid: "The tactical plan was our team are actually not going to boot to him. He is actually also risky." Days before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors offered a chapel service before the activity and also spoke about David and Goliath and also mentioned, 'The reason David prospered is he had not been scared. All the other Israelites were afraid of Goliath.' So I began assuming, am I putting fear into our guys' souls? Am I playing this wrong? We can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as pleasantly surprised as any person that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the take it easy as well as created past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my mind as well as claimed if our company shed the shake, our experts are actually heading to begin. Our experts're mosting likely to boot it to him, and also I desire you to decrease as well as pound him. And also when our experts take their champion down, that is actually heading to send out an information much like David." I talked about it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive teams train, and also naturally he said our team may cover, our team can do this. We'll acquire him in the Super Dish. Everyone would like to possess their instant. Nobody wishes to walk out there certainly and only state, 'Hey, we weren't portion of this, or our experts really did not assist.' So it was actually mutual, yet at the end of the day, it was my choice." Reid: "2 or even 3 times before the activity I moved the people to convince Train Dungy. I claimed, 'Our company may manage him. Our experts'll be actually great.' You can say to [Dungy] worried regarding doing it, however he feels like: 'OK, I trust you fellas.'" Dave Toub, Bears special groups organizer: "Every activity that our experts had, it was constantly an inquiry of who is actually visiting kick to him, who isn't visiting kick to him. We knew that they had actually referred to not kicking to him, but our company regularly assumed as a staff that they were actually going to kick to our team in the Super Dish just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Sunday night. I stated, 'They're going to kick the round right to us.'" An unpredicted tornado moved into the Miami region on activity day and dumped nearly one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 watched Hester as well as the Bears first yield team trot onto the industry to receive the position kick just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a rookie, his peace of mind when he took the field was actually unbelievable. Our company took a great deal of satisfaction in blocking out for him. Special crews wasn't a chore. It didn't seem like you were actually being actually disciplined for certainly not being a starter. Whenever you stepped on the area along with him in the gain game, it was like, 'Guy, we can easily take it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind seeing all these flashes click on when the ball is actually being started. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Running out to the activity coming from the locker space really felt unique. I have actually certainly never felt anything like it. It resembled the motion pictures. There were actually Classical candlesticks being actually soared plus all the embers were boiling down in slow motion. It entirely possessed me pestered out. I came to the side project as well as it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply taken place?' And after that our company win the piece throw as well as our team are actually acquiring. Talk about an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I claimed if it uses the end zone, get that ball for him. That's what remained in my mind since it was actually never performed, had actually never been actually performed just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it certainly never entered my thoughts that he will jog a sphere back for a touchdown. It definitely didn't. I have actually possessed 2 of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Veggie Bay Packers vast receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and he operated it back for a goal. So it occurred to me prior to, however at no time was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to occur once more.' 2024 Pro Football Venue of FameThe Venue of Popularity Video Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be aired on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney places spin on legacy u2022 Mongo's battle, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't horrendous when we did it. I thought, our company'll put him in the corner, our experts'll tackle him inside the 25 and also our team'll really feel pretty good regarding ourselves. And also's never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my mouth [when he saw the round headed his means] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and ran up area to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian would get to tackling him was safety and security Marlin Jackson, who was inches off of Hester, who accelerated away from his understanding. The Bears' block consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid made a space for Hester to blast past the first wave of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo design and also started dashing alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He eluded everybody every single time he did that. The middle of the industry was golden for Devin. They failed to intend to boot it down the middle to Devin, however they seemingly were dealing with it too much, as well as if you assume you're beat. If they kick it down the middle of the field, I recognized he was actually heading to score." I always kept discussing him being in his backyard [on the program] I feel I pointed out, 'Coming from Riviera Coastline to the most significant phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are foolish.'" Harris: "I always remember hitting a person, it was perhaps around the little bit of Super Dish logo. I damaged this fella and also type of saw [Devin] flashing by. And also when I turned around and also I viewed he was actually out and all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I said, 'Okay, I've reached go fulfill him.' So I just took off on a lifeless sprint since I recognized he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "The moment he surpassed our initial wave of men, at that point we possess a security on each edge and me in between. I understood I was as well away from him. If I could acquire close good enough to him to at least sluggish him down, perhaps the search could possibly get to him. However he juked the piss away from me, too. That's things regarding Devin. When he possesses a little bit of area, keeping that dream, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 backyards for a touchdown with the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped as well as really did not touch him at all, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious considering that after one play, my jacket is dirtier than any person's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually a lot of open industry, so I understood right then and there certainly [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a circumstance where I was actually affixed to a sideline and also possessed the subsidiary antagonizing me. We were in the open industry, so I recognized he wasn't going to obtain me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin sought out. I was actually pondering why he was actually seeking out later to find out that he was actually checking out himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him as well as merely tripped him up and he tumbled into completion region for the goal." The Bears' energy would certainly advance the upcoming travel as they opened a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took management in the second area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We began the video game with a goal as well as our company believed it was going to be an ass-whipping. Definitely didn't find yourself by doing this, even though we came out and also our team got a pick right afterwards, very. Our experts presumed our experts possessed all sort of drive then and afterwards undoubtedly it ended up shifting on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I presume the one thing concerning that was it was the very first play of the video game. That actually done work in our benefit due to the fact that if it was just about anything beyond that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would be a tough factor to recoup from." But our company had four quarters to recoup as well as put that behind our company. So, for us it was type of like, 'All right, our experts tried. Embarassment on our team and afterwards we may maintain it relocating right now.' Considering that eventually, we knew offensively our team were going to record more than seven aspects, and I knew defensively our company were going to maintain them from counting." Vinatieri: "Their entire team is actually fired up and also excited. Right now when they start to our company, their protection is actually going to be actually happening a million miles a hr given that the drive is actually actually on their side ... yet the reality that there was still 59 1/2 moments left in the game, we knew it wasn't over whatsoever. Our team felt in one's bones that this is actually the man that will certainly trash the game for us if we don't prevent that. As well as certainly simply viewing that first play was actually evidence of that. Permit's not boot him one more sphere." Gilmore: "They received brilliant and also decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 gains in that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder resulted in this record.